Today we’d like to introduce you to DJ Mel.
Hi DJ, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
From a very young age, I’ve had a love for music. My memory for music was uncanny. I could remember lyrics, guitar solos, bridges, and changes in songs with ease. Being a musician from grade school into adulthood gave me a leg up when I decided to learn how to DJ.
After locking myself in my bedroom and practicing at my parents’ home for six months, I landed my first club residency. I wasn’t old enough to drink, but the club made an exception because they were impressed by my skill level at such a young age.
Like life, nothing is linear. There have been many ups and downs along the way. My radio mix show days, DJing raves in the ’90s and early 2000s, DJing a million house parties, and DJing for many years at the North Campus bar Nasty’s all prepared me for the moment that changed my life and career: DJing Election Night for President Obama in 2012.
After that event, it’s been an amazing ride. I believe I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be as a veteran DJ, making a good living doing what I love.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Life is not always a flat, freshly paved road. There have been many struggles, many peaks and valleys. As a DJ, you’re a freelancer. There have been many times when I wasn’t getting any work, and other times when I was working so much that it was affecting my quality of life.
Now through experience, I am better at balancing.
I also believe it has been difficult at times to maintain relationships throughout my career. It takes a special someone to be with a person who works in the music industry and nightlife.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a DJ. I have been doing this for decades now, and that experience has given me the ability to DJ in almost every situation.
As far as what I’m most proud of, I would say my involvement with the Obama White House and my viral online show, The Living Room Dance Party, during the pandemic. That weekly online show connected people from all over the world and provided a respite from the uncertainty surrounding COVID and the world at that time.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love my hometown. Of course, for years now, there have been some growing pains, but change is inevitable. Yeah, the traffic is bad, you might have to wait longer to get into certain places, and there are parts of town that seem almost unrecognizable. But I look at it this way as a longtime resident: I get to discover all the new things that have popped up!
The one thing that still makes this town feel like old Austin is our music community. Many of us have lived here for decades, and most of us know each other. There’s something comforting about seeing familiar faces at an event or show. That sense of community is what still makes Austin feel like a small town.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.djmel.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djmeltakespics
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/djmelATX
- Twitter: https://www.x.com/DJMel
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDJMel
- Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/thedjmel
